Orlando Magic continue to teach Mohamed Bamba through injury

Mohamed Bamba is still optimistic he will be able to play again during his rookie year. The Orlando Magic plan to keep him ready and engaged until then.

Mohamed Bamba also returned to Orlando following the All-Star Break.

Leaning against an oversized crutch and in a walking boot, he was supporting and watching his teammates practice as they got back to work. The young rookie’s season was put on hold thanks to a stress fracture in his left leg but he was still involved.

Mohamed Bamba had reported discomfort in the leg, the team held him out and discovered an issue before it got too bad. Their decision to shut him down and let him rehab was acknowledgment he was a long-term investment and there was no sense — even in the middle of a Playoff push — to throw him out there with the risk of further injury.

The Orlando Magic have been notoriously patient with injuries since Jeff Weltman hired David Tenney as the team’s high performance director.

Jonathan Isaac sprained his ankle and then seemingly took weeks to get better. The injury might have been worse than a sprained ankle in the end. But the patience the team showed making sure he was healthy before coming back probably frustrated fans and Jonathan Isaac himself. But that patience was worth it as Isaac has played healthy the entire season and is starting to come into his own.

The biggest advice Bamba has gotten is to stay patient and make sure he heals fully. He has a long career ahead of him.

"“Just take his time,” said Aaron Gordon, who suffered his own leg injury during his rookie year. “Come back stronger, come back more confident. He is going to have a long career. No need to push it. He is leaning on us right now. He’s a great person. I think he understands the situation for what it is. I think he is taking it day by day.”"

Bamba has given all the signs that he trusts the medical team to help him recover and watch out for his best long-term interests, even if it means sacrificing playing time now. Bamba went to them with a problem and they seemed to take it seriously and investigate it.

Even with the acquisition of Markelle Fultz, going through an injury himself, Mohamed Bamba has told him the medical staff has really taken care of him, according to John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com. That is a good sign that both player and team are on the same page with his body and are not dismissing any concerns he might have that could cause long-term issues.

The Magic appear to be taking the same approach they did with Isaac to Bamba. And he has welcomed that approach, trusting it will create the healthy outcome he desires.

The advice Isaac and others have given Bamba about his recovery have not discouraged him from saying he believes he will play before the end of the season.

It is still unclear if Bamba will clear that hurdle before the season ends. Especially with the team’s Playoff chase intensifying. Orlando seems in no rush to bring Bamba back.

But another thing is becoming clear too. They are not simply going to ignore Bamba’s development on the court while his out.

Coach Steve Clifford said the team has a plan to keep Mohamed Bamba engaged with the team throughout his recovery. They intend to sit down with him after games and help him break down the games and solicit input on what he sees from the sideline.

Clifford said he believes it is really important for Bamba to continue studying the league and understand player and team tendencies. Bamba will be doing a lot of school work to stay engaged with the team.

He is also going to be doing as much work in the weight room as he can. A lot of the focus for Bamba will be on getting a jump start on his offseason strength program. Without a doubt, this is an important part of his development.

Bamba at least seems good-natured about it.

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Bamba surely will be itching to get back on the floor as soon as he gets out of his boot. He recently had a procedure done on his leg to help further the recovery. The Magic are not merely sitting back and letting him recover naturally. They are fostering that recovery and that growth on and off the court.

The focus with Bamba is on growing those other parts of his game. Those vital part of his game.

"“I texted him to tell him it’s a little setback,” Nikola Vucevic said. “It will give him a chance to focus on other things like work on his buddy, study the game. That can also help a lot. It’s a minor setback. He will come back. It’s an injury that will keep him out a little while but nothing too major he can’t recover from. I want to give him a morale boost because obviously, he wants to be out there and play. He has a lot of time, he will have plenty of time.”"

Bamba has had a difficult rookie season. He is averaging 6.2 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game with 1.4 blocks per game in 16.3 minutes per game. He has made a difference defensively in spurts. But he has struggled to make that impact consistently. Some of that is he was put in lineups that struggled especially.

Orlando likely was not as concerned with that as they were with getting him on the floor and getting him NBA experience. They were able to do that.

Now their concern is getting Bamba healthy again for the long-term project that is his career. That will include this off-court education.